Simon Wintle
- Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
Piatnik Tarock
Deck of "Industrie und Glück" or "Rural Scenes" tarock cards manufactured by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, Vienna, c.1910.
Tarock Cards
The earliest Tarot decks originated in Italy in the fifteenth century, with Italian suit symbols. However the game was very popular elsewhere and tarots with French suit signs, usually called "tarok" or "tarock", appeared around 1750 which are now mainly produced in Austria.
Estel Tarok
J. Estel Tarok, 1820.
Pittner Tarok
Ferd Pittner, Tarok Cards
Joseph Glanz, 1862
Playing cards depicting Turkish and Greek rulers manufactured by Joseph Glanz, Vienna, Austria, 1862.
Literary Figures
Non-Standard Literary Figures playing cards manufactured by Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne A.G., Vienna, 1924.
World’s Fair Souvenir
One of a series of Columbian Exposition Souvenir Playing Cards published during 1892-94 celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the Americas.
Casa Jacobo Peuser
Casa Jacobo Peuser was originally founded in 1867, and was involved in the importation of playing cards into Argentina during the period (approx.) c.1920-1950.
Naipes Casino Celuplastic
Justo Rodero produced plastic coated playing cards with the trade mark 'Celuplastic'. Apart from the different box design and four of cups, in all other respects packs were the same as their regular 'Naipes Casino' brand.
Fours of Cups
Over the years the company evolved, and changes in the company's name and address can be seen reflected in the information printed on the four of cups.
Naipes Casino “Poker”
Justo Rodero produced standard Anglo-American style playing cards, usually with the courts printed in red / black / yellow.
Naipes Casino Estilo Argentino
Naipes Casino Estilo Argentino by Justo Rodero with Gaucho suit symbols: the mate gourd, the sun, "facón" and gaucho club (palo borracho).
Naipes Habana
"Naipes Habana" Spanish-suited playing cards manufactured by Justo Rodero e Hijos S.R.L., with the date 1960 printed on the control slip.
Inka Culture
Inka Culture playing cards, Peru, c.2000, promoting alpaca and cotton.
Calendario Inka
“Calendario Inka” playing cards published by Power Casinos, Lima, Peru, c.2004.
Litográfica del Perú
Litográfica del Perú S.A. were manufacturers of playing cards in Peru sometime around the decades of the 1970s and/or 1980s.
Pepsamar advertising playing cards
Anglo-American style advertising playing cards made in Peru by Litográfica del Perú, c.1975, for Sydney Ross S.A. / Winthrop Pepsamar indigestion remedy.
Festal advertising playing cards
Festal advertising playing cards for Hoechst Peruana S.A.
Casinos On The Internet
While card rooms and private gaming clubs may have been around for hundreds of years, the earliest known European casino of the type gamblers know today is probably the Casino at Monte Carlo.
Naipes ‘Baccarat’
An example of the typical version of the Spanish Catalan pattern which is widely used in South American countries, especially Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
Cartográfica Industrial, Curitiba, Brazil
Double advertising pack made by Cartográfica Industrial for Refrigeração Parana S.A. The extra card contains an insignia with the legend 'CARTAL'.
Vale Tudo - Cartas para Jogar
Vale Tudo - Cartas para Jogar, manufactured in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The courts are standard English pattern with prominent indices, printed in red and black only.
Western PCC
The Western Playing Card Company was formed in 1927. The exact history and origins are not clear.
Congress No.606
Congress Playing Cards were first produced by the Russell & Morgan Company in 1881 as the finest and most expensive of their brands.
Bicycle No.808 - page 2
The famous 'Bicycle' playing cards were first introduced by Russell & Morgan Printing Co in 1885. They were hugely successful and became the most well-known brand in the world.
Bicycle Seconds
Bicycle 808 Seconds playing cards manufactured by The United States Playing Card Co, Cincinnati and New York, USA, with offices also in Windsor, Canada and London, England.
Illuminated Playing Cards, c.1865
Facsimile edition of Andrew Dougherty's Illuminated deck, c.1865, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc., and described as 'Civil War Illuminated Poker Deck'
Anonymous Novelty Cards
Miniature novelty playing cards from the late 1940s or early 1950s with a charm of their own. Probably published as small prizes at fairground or seaside amusement arcades.
Bicycle No.808
The famous Bicycle playing cards were first introduced by Russell & Morgan Printing Co in 1885. More recently the brand has been open to private designers since the early 2000s.
Jumbo Bridge 88
Cards with jumbo indices were introduced in 1895, and were given the subtitle '88'.
Standard Genoese
Van Genechten manufactured playing cards in various styles, including specially customised versions for commercial clients wishing to advertise their own brands on the cards.
Mesmaekers & Moentack, c.1860
The Mesmaekers firm had been established in Turnhout in 1859 by the partnership of Gustaaf Mesmaekers and Louis-François Moentack.
Brotherton, 1789-1840
Brotherton is recorded as operating at 13 Little Britain (London) from 1789-1840. In 1851 his factory was burnt down.
Alphonse Arnoult
Finely engraved deck by Alphonse Arnoult (Paris), c.1860. 52 cards.
Historic Boston and Vicinity
Historic Boston and Vicinity Souvenir Playing Cards, 1900 & 1909.
The United States Playing Card Company
Over the years the pressures of competition and other market forces have led to many smaller manufacturers being taken over by larger ones. The outcome is that the U.S.P.C.C. is now the largest manufacturer in the United States.
Hardy
The Hardy family of playing card manufacturers began with Henry Hardy (1784-89) and continued through to Hardy & Sons who finally closed down in c.1840.
National Card Co.
The National Card Co. was formed in c.1886 by Samuel J Murray, who as a young man had worked in England in Charles Goodall's playing card factory.
Lawrence & Cohen
Lawrence & Cohen were successors to Lawrence, Cohen & Co.
Royal Playing Cards, 1890s
Royal Playing Cards, 1890s
Lewis I. Cohen
Lewis I. Cohen made his first deck of cards in 1832. In 1835 Mr Cohen invented a new machine to print four colours on a sheet at once, which was to revolutionise the entire playing card industry.
New York Consolidated Card Company
The New York Consolidated Card Company was formed in 1871 by the merging of Lawrence & Cohen, Samuel Hart & Co and John J. Levy.
Continental Card Co
The Continental Card Company, 220 North Second Street, Philadelphia, started in 1874, manufacturing various qualities of playing cards, including Continental Steamboats, Manhattans, Continental Moguls, etc. Single-ended and double-ended decks are known, also a "Highest Trump" Joker.
Strauss & Trier, c.1860
Strauss & Trier, New York, c.1860.
Samuel Hart, 1846-1871
Samuel Hart was a prolific manufacturer of playing cards who commenced business sometime around 1845 in Philadelphia. He had previously worked for L.I. Cohen.
Andrew Dougherty 1848-1930
Andrew Dougherty was born in Donegal in Northern Ireland in 1827. He started his playing card business in New York in 1848.
Thomas Crehore copy, c.1850
Thomas Crehore copy, c.1850.
Squeezers No.35
By 1877 the New York Consolidated Card Co's "Squeezers" were a great success on account of the indices in the corners which enabled the cards to be fanned.
Cerveza ‘El Gallo’
Advertising pack for Cerveza ‘El Gallo’ made in Belgium, c.1880.
S. Giráldez, Barcelona
Standard Spanish Catalan pattern playing cards by S. Giráldez, Barcelona, c.1905.
E. P. Franco
E. P. Franco, Naipes ‘El Brujo’, c.1953.